tm
D e p t h i
u s e r ’ s m a n u a l
Serial Number ___________________________________
Record your serial numbers here for easy reference. You will need this information
when filling out your warranty registration. Depth i’s serial number is located near
the bottom of the backplate and also on the shipping container.
The lightning bolt flash with arrowhead symbol, within
an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to
the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within
the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.
Depth i Settings:
Level ___________________________________________
25Hz Level ______________________________________
Phase __________________________________________
Low Pass Filter ___________________________________
High Pass Filter: Out ______________________________
A/V Processor Bass Management Settings:
Main Speaker Size ________________________________
(large recommended for full range speakers)
Center Speaker Size ______________________________
(small recommended)
Surround Speaker Size ____________________________
(small recommended)
Level ___________________________________________
High-Pass _______________________________________
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the appliance.
WARNING! Two people are required to move
this subwoofer.
Low-Pass _______________________________________
WARNING! Do not use your Depth i loudspeakers outside of the country of original sale—voltage requirements
vary by country. Improper voltage can cause damage that will be potentially expensive to repair. The Depth i is
shipped to authorized MartinLogan distributors with the correct power supply for use in the country of intended
sale. A list of authorized distributors can be accessed at www.martinlogan.com or by emailing info@martinlogan.com.
Thank you—to you the MartinLogan owner,
for loving what we do,
and
for making it possible for us to do what we love.
Contents & IntroduCtIon
Contents & Introduction 4
Installation in Brief 5
Controls and Connections 6
Accessing the Control Panel
Control Panel
Rear Connection Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2-Channel Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Multi-Channel Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2-Channel/Multi-Channel Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2-Channel Mode Using Speaker Level Inputs . . . . . . . . 12
2-Channel Mode With 2-Channel Output . . . . . . . . . . 13
Why the Filters Are Not Equal
Sub Out—Using Multiple Subwoofers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
AC Power Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Replacing the Fuse
Break-In
Placement 16
Listening Position
Installing In A Cabinet
Ask Your Dealer
Enjoy Yourself
Room Acoustics 17
Your Room
Terminology
Solid Footing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Home Theater 19
MartinLogan Exclusives 20
BalancedForce™ For Cleaner Bass
TriLinear™ Configuration
Servo-Controlled Dynamic Drivers
Proprietary Switching Amplifier
25Hz Level Control
Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting 21
Dimensioned Drawings 22
General Information 23
Specifications
Warranty and Registration
Serial Number
Service
Glossary of Audio Terms 24
Notes 26
Congratulations! You have invested in one of the
world's premier subwoofers
The MartinLogan Depth i represents the culmination
of an intensive, dedicated research program directed
toward creating a world class reference subwoofer using
advanced technologies and without compromising durability, reliability, craftsmanship or aesthetics.
The Depth i subwoofer uses three custom 8-inch highexcursion drivers in a BalancedForce™, TriLinear™
configuration, which dramatically reduces cabinet
vibrations, allowing deep, tight, well-defined bass.
Servo-control woofer technology minimizes distortion. A
proprietary digital amplifier drives the output stage with
precision and extremely high efficiency. Low-pass filtering
and phase control have been designed to make integrating the Depth i subwoofer with both MartinLogan and
non-MartinLogan products both seamless and simple.
The materials in your new Depth i subwoofer are of the highest quality and will provide years of enduring enjoyment and
deepening respect. The cabinetry is constructed from the
highest quality composite material for acoustical integrity.
This User's Manual will explain in detail the operation of
your Depth i subwoofer and the philosophy applied to its
design. A clear understanding will help you obtain maximum performance and pleasure from this most exacting
subwoofer system.
In accordance with the European Union WEEE (Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive effective
August 13, 2005, we would like to notify you that this
product may contain regulated materials which upon
disposal, according to the WEEE directive, require special reuse and recycling processing.
For this reason MartinLogan has arranged with our distributors in European Union member nations to collect and
recycle this product at no cost to you. To find your local
distributor please contact the dealer from whom you purchased this product, email info@martinlogan.com or visit
the distributor locator at www.martinlogan.com.
4 Contents & Introduction
Please note, only this product itself falls under the WEEE
directive. When disposing of packaging and other related
shipping materials we encourage you to recycle these
items through the normal channels.
InstallatIon In BrIef
We know you are eager to hear your new MartinLogan
subwoofer, so this section is provided to allow fast and
easy set up. Once you have your subwoofer operational, please take the time to read, in depth, the rest of the
information in this manual. It will give you perspective on
how to attain the greatest possible performance from this
most exacting woofer system.
If you should experience any difficulties in the setup or
operation of your MartinLogan subwoofer, please refer
to the Room Acoustics and Placement sections of the
this manual. Should you encounter a persistent problem
that cannot be resolved please contact your authorized
MartinLogan dealer. They will provide you with the appropriate technical analysis to alleviate the situation.
WARNING!
• Hazardous voltages exist inside—do not
remove cover.
• Refer servicing to a qualified technician.
• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
expose this module to moisture.
• Turn amplifier off and unplug subwoofer
should any abnormal conditions occur.
• The power cord should not be installed,
removed, or left detached from the speaker
while the other end is connected to an AC
power source.
• The main power switch near the AC inlet shall
remain readily operable.
• No candles or other sources of open flame
should be placed on the speaker.
• No liquids either in glasses or vases should be
placed on speaker.
• Speaker should not be exposed to dripping or
splashing liquids.
• The terminals marked with the lightning bolt
symbol should be connected by an instructed
person or by way of ready made terminals
• The power cord should remain readily operable should any abnormal conditions occur.
Step 1: Unpacking
Remove your new subwoofer from its packing. Note:
Retain original packing materials for future use.
Step 2: Placement
Ideally, place the subwoofer in a corner near the front of the
room. Please see the Placement section (page 16) for more
details.
Step 3: Signal Connection
Use the best cables you can. High quality cables, available
from your specialty dealer, are recommended and will
give you superior performance.
Attach your preamplifier/processor outputs through cables
to the signal input area located on the subwoofer’s rear
panel. Please see the Controls and Connections section
(pages 6–15) for more details.
If you plan to connect your subwoofer using Speaker Level
(high level) inputs, please refer to the 2-Channel Mode
Using Speaker Level Inputs section (page 12 for more
details.
Step 4: Power Connection (AC) (see warning)
Make sure the level knob is set at 0. Plug the subwoofer
into a wall outlet. Review the AC Power Connection section
(page 15) of this manual for more details.
Step 5: Setting the Controls
• Set the Level knob to 3 or 4.
• Set the Power switch to ‘Auto’.
• Set the 25Hz Level knob to 0.
• Set the Phase to 90°.
• Set the Low Pass Filter to the closest setting below the
low-end frequency response of your main speakers.
These settings are only a beginning point. Your subwoofer
will need proper setup to optimize performance. Please
see the Controls and Connections section (pages 6–15) for
more details.
Step 6: Listen and Enjoy
Installation in Brief 5
Controls and ConneCtIons
Accessing the Control Panel
The control panel is located behind the inset metal plate
located on top of the subwoofer. To access the control
panel, gently press the area above the MartinLogan logo.
When the spring releases gently pull the metal plate away
from the subwoofer.
Control Panel
Level
Setting the level too high will cause the bass to seem bloated
and is the single most common cause of bad sounding
subwoofers. A rule of thumb is that the subwoofer should
not draw attention to itself, but should simply make the
system’s low end seem more extended and accurate.
Low Pass Filter
When the Depth i is connected in multi-channel mode
(via its LFE input), the low pass filter is not active and your
processor handles the bass management. When connected
in 2-channel mode (via its speaker or line level left/right
input), the low-pass filter is active.
As a general rule the Low Pass Filter should be set at the option
approximately equal to (or below) 70% of your main speaker’s
lowest frequency response. Example: The MartinLogan Vista’s
lowest frequency response is 43Hz. 70% of 43Hz equals
30.1, so you should set the Depth i’s low pass filter to 30Hz.
Remember, this is a general rule. We advise that once you
try the recommended setting using the formula above, you
should try the surrounding settings to see which sounds best.
Optionally, an internal module in the Depth i can be
upgraded with a custom tailored Low Pass Filter setting
for use with the MartinLogan CLX loudspeaker. When this
upgrade is implemented the 30 Hz setting on the Depth i
becomes the CLX Low Pass Filter setting.
Phase Control
The phase control is entirely dependent on the size and
Figure 1 Top control panel.
6 Introduction
configuration of your listening environment, the placement
of the unit, and your seating arrangement. Due to the way
bass sound waves develop in different rooms, there is no rule
of thumb for setting phase. For instance, if your room has
a peak at the subwoofer crossover area, you may wish to
set the phase so the actual acoustic outputs of the subwoofer
and main speakers are out of phase. Experiment, try different settings and be patient.
Power
The Auto/On/Standby switch controls Depth i’s energy saving feature. When set to 'Auto', the Depth i will turn on
when a music signal is detected and off when there is none.
The 'On' setting prevents the Depth i from entering energy
saving mode. The 'Standby' setting forces the Depth i into
energy saving mode. While set to 'Standby’, the Depth i will
not operate.
25Hz Hz Level
The 25Hz Level knob significantly adjusts frequencies where peaks and dips of different amplitudes often
manifest in real world environments. The ideal setting is
dependent on room size and construction, system configuration and personal preference.
Figure 2 Graph demonstrating the frequencies effected by the 25Hz
Level controls
High Pass Filter: Out
The High Pass Filter: Out control filters the signal output
from the Right Out and Left Out connections.
Status Light
See descriptions of the status light on page 8. The top control panel status light functions identically to the back plate
status light.
Controls and Connections 7
Rear Connection Panel
Sub Out
For systems utilizing multiple
subwoofers. Connect Sub Out
to the LFE Input or Right In /
Left In on additional sub(s).
Right Out / Left Out
Should only be used if connectin g th is sub betwe en
a pre-amp and amplifi er.
Connect to the Left In/Right
In on the amplifier. The High
Pass: Out control filters the
output from these connections.
LFE In
Connect to LFE Out on your
A/V processor. The subwoofers
Low Pass Filter control does
not effect this connection.
Crossover settings for LFE In
are controlled through the A/V
processor.
Right In/Left In
Connect to Main-Out or PreOut on your receiver/pre-amp.
Depth i’s Low Pass Filter control effects the signal received
through these inputs.
Speaker Level In
This set of binding posts provides a place to connect the
subwoofe r using standard
speaker cable. Depth i’s Low
Pass Filter control effects the
signal received through these
inputs.
Status Light
The Depth i is equipped with a
multi-color LED to indicate the
current status of the woofers.
The following list explains the
meaning of the different colors:
No co lor : No power. The
subwoofer is not plugged in,
or the fuse has blown.
Green: Play mode. This indicates the subwoofer detects
an audio signal and has automatically switched into play
mode.
Yellow: Standby mode. This
indicates the Power switch is
set to Standby, or the sub has
detected no audio signal for
more than forty minutes and
has automatically switched
into standby mode.
R ed: Initializin g or Sa f e
mode. This indicates that the
subwoofer is initializing. This
also indicates if the subwoofer
temperature has exceeded
nominal operating range. If
the subwoofer ove rheats,
please allow it to cool and
reset it by unplugging the unit
and plugging it back in.
AC Power Connection, Master
Power Switch, & Fuse
8 Controls and Connections
Figure 3 Rear connection panel.
WARNING! Turn the Master Power switch Off
and unplug it before making or breaking any
signal connections!
2-Channel Mode
This setup is recommended if your subwoofer will be used
in a 2-channel only system. When a signal is connected to
the subwoofers Left In/Right In, the Low Pass Filter control
is active.
Signal Connection (see figure 4):
1 Connect the left out/right out from your preamp/receiver
to the Left In/Right In of the subwoofer. Use quality RCA
interconnects. If your preamp/receiver only has one set of
outputs you need to obtain Y adapters from your dealer.
Recommended Control Settings (see figure 5):
1 Calculate the number equal to 70% of your main loud-
speaker’s lowest frequency rating. Set the Low Pass Filter
switch to the closest setting below the resulting number.
2 Play familiar music with bass content. Increase the Level
control until the music has deep extended bass. Be
careful to avoid levels that become overwhelming.
3 Try the phase control in different settings until the best
blending is obtained. If you are using the subwoofer to
augment other MartinLogan products, we suggest starting with the phase set at 90°.
4 If you have completed steps 1–3 and still have weak or
boomy bass, adjust the 25Hz Level knobs to compensate for these anomalies. Experiment with the controls
and listen to the effects. Try to find a position that
sounds correct to you. Experiment by changing the Level
control while adjusting these knobs. Find a position that
gives you deep extended bass and good blending with
your main speakers.
Figure 4 Signal connection for 2-channel mode.
Figure 5 Adjust these controls for 2-channel mode.
Controls and Connections 9
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